The art of sleep

I'm writing this from my desk at 2.25am. I should be sleeping, but I'm not. Sleep is such a beautiful, natural thing - yet so hard to get right. As babies we learn to sleep, and as we grow we are taught of how important those hours with our head against the pillow truly are for our development.

I wish I had a good sleeping routine, really I do. I want to be able to go to bed at 10pm and wake up at around 8am feeling totally refreshed and ready to start my day. Does that ever happen? Not a chance. Even with all the good will and intentions in the world I just cannot seem to do it. In fact, I could not tell you the last time that I went to sleep before 12am.

Maybe it's all the distractions that i harbour within the confines of my bedroom. Should I try a technology ban and turn everything off at 10pm - go back to the good old days with a mug of decaffeinated tea and read page after page of a new book until I my eyes become weary. Then blow out the zen-like candles and cocoon myself in my floral printed duvet?

Everyone says how good sleep is for you, and I do not doubt them for a second. I have lost track of all the times I've said "I need to get my sleeping pattern sorted". Do I ever get around to it? Shock horror, I don't.

It's not even that my brain goes in to overdrive and I have thoughts racing around my head, because I really don't. I just have an aversion to early nights. It's like I'm programmed a little bit wonky, surely I just need some re-wiring though? A few early nights to get me in to a good habit.

I am prepared to do whatever it takes to actually fall asleep at a decent hour and not waking up with the realisation that in fact the whole morning has disappeared and it is now 1pm. Yes, that's happened on multiple occasions. Could it be that I'm a student? Possibly, yes. But in 1.5 years I will no longer be a student and will be entering the wide world. I'll have early starts and busy, filled days - 2.38am (currently) sleeps will not allow me to function well with a 7am start.

So body, mind, sleeping fairy - whichever it is that controls my inability to sleep. Buck your ideas up, because this just won't do.

Okay. Let's give this whole sleeping thing another shot for tonight shall we? It's not as if I have to be up at 7am anyway. Oh wait. I do. Terrific.